There has been an increasing amount of press regarding silk sheets and bedding. It seems there is somewhat of a resurgence in the market with more and more retailers importing silk goods. So what is all the noise about? Are the retailers to be believed that silk sheets will change the way we sleep or is this just all hot air?
At first glance silk sheets seems fairly ordinary, the only major difference between them and their cotton counterparts seems to be price. The packaging looks fairly similar, as do the colours. Ivory, chocolate, maroon etc. This, as I was to find out is where the similarities begin and end.
Apparently there are several different verities of silk. Some are better for bedding than others. The main verities are wild silk, which is silk harvested from silk worms in the wild, Tussah silk which is usually silk from the east and has a deep tone to it and the “Rolls Royce" of silks, 100% mulberry silk. Mulberry silk has been specifically cultivated in controlled conditions. By doing this, the silk is of much higher quality than wild silks and the finished product is far superior in both finish and durability.
It is generally accepted that Mulberry silk bedding is the best silk available on the market today. Only mulberry silk can endure the constant use normal bedding has. Other silks such as Habotai silk are available but they lack the durability of mulberry silk. This is usually reflected in the price. Habotai silk has been known to seem softer than it’s mulberry silk counterpart. This is because the silk is often sand washed during the production process. Although this gives a soft feel to the silk, it further destroys the already limited durability of Habotai silk.
Many retailers are keen to point out the hypoallergenic properties of silk bedding and how sleeping on silk bedding helps allergy sufferers. This is mainly due to silk being an inhospitable environment to dust mites, which are a major cause of allergy related complications. In addition to the health benefits silk has the remarkable ability to keep us warm when it’s cool and cool when it’s warm. This is achieved by silk allowing our reflected body heat to dissipate and therefore help us maintain a stable temperature. Simple, but very effective and prefect for people who tend to overheat when using conventional bedding.
Other benefits of silk bedding include kindness to our skin, great durability and even an inherent safety feature! Because silk is a natural protein it is believed it is better for us to use as bedding than cotton. This is because the natural amino acids in silk are less likely to be harmful to our skin and can even help slow the ageing process! This has not been scientifically proven, but it’s worth a try even without the other benefits. Take a look at the silksleep collection of silk pillowcases at silksleep (dot) com for a few ideas. As for the built in safety feature, silk is apparently naturally fire retardant.
Considering the pros and cons of using silk sheets, I think the pros definitely outweigh the cons. The hypoallergenic qualities doubled with the durability makes silk sheets both a healthy and cost effective solution to our bedding needs. Next time you are out and about, take a few minutes and have a closer look at the silk bedding ranges now available. It may well change the way you sleep forever!
Sleeping on synthetic fibers can be an uncomfortable experience. Synthetic materials are usually hot and sticky during the summer months and chilly during the winter. Although cotton sheets are more comfortable to sleep on than sheets made with man made materials, they can be a bit coarse, especially if they don't have a high thread count and they are prone to wrinkling. Silk sheets are the ultimate luxury for the restless sleeper. However, since they are a bit more expensive than other types of sheets, caring for silk sheets is an important concern.
Most silk sheets are designed to be machine washed on the delicate cycle in cold water. However, you should check for a label with washing instructions on your sheets before you assume they are machine washable. Some silk sheets must be hand washed in cold water instead.
No matter how you wash your sheets, don't use a traditional laundry detergent or bleach. These chemicals are too strong for silk and can cause the silk to shatter, which is a condition where the silk fabric literally breaks apart. Instead, you should use a special silk safe detergent. In an emergency, you can try washing your sheets with Ivory soap, which is extremely mild.
Once you wash your sheets, it is time to dry them. Don't wring them out to remove any of the water still on them, because they are just too delicate to handle this. Instead, you can gently shake the sheets to remove some of the water and then hang them carefully across an indoor clothesline or drying rack until they dry.
Using a dryer to dry your sheets is a bad idea, since the heat could cause the silk to shatter. Even if the sheets come out of the dryer looking unharmed, they will not last as long as air dried sheets because the heat makes the silk threads very brittle. Drying sheets on a clothesline outdoors is a bad idea for the same reason. After all, the sun can give off quite a lot of heat. In addition, sunlight can really damage the color of your silk sheets.
Finally, if you are overwhelmed at the thought of caring for your silk sheets, you may want to consider having them dry cleaned. Make sure that you let your dry cleaner know that the sheets are made with silk before you hand them over. A good dry cleaner knows exactly how to clean and iron silk without damaging it.
Both Hugh Watson & Gray Rollins are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Hugh Watson has sinced written about articles on various topics from SEO Search Engine Optimization, Interior Design and Modelling. Hugh Watson is a featured writer for . To learn more about silksleep and silk bedding products visit. Hugh Watson's top article generates over 3600 views. to your Favourites.
Gray Rollins has sinced written about articles on various topics from Property Investment, Guide Guitar and insurance agents. Gray Rollins is a featured writer for JustSheets.com. To learn more about and. Gray Rollins's top article generates over 368000 views. to your Favourites.